Author: Louis Kraft & Robert S. Goodman MD
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 311
Genre: Legal Thriller
In THE DISCOVERY by Robert S. Goodman and
Louis Kraft, a young obstetrician/gynecologist delivers a premature baby after
attending a dinner party. The child survives the delivery, but complications lead
to a malpractice lawsuit two decades later.
In 1952, a pregnant seventeen-year-old gives birth
in a Los Angeles hospital. Two nurses attend to the young woman while they wait
for the doctor on call to arrive for the delivery. Dr. Harry Chapman arrives at
the hospital clearheaded but with alcohol on his breath. The premature baby is
born blue and placed in an incubator. The nurses turn the oxygen to the level
recommended to pediatricians for preemies the year before to prevent blindness.
When the baby’s color doesn’t change, Harry instructs the nurses to turn the
oxygen up to maximum. They protest, but Harry insists that the nurses comply to
save the baby from brain damage or death.
In 1972, Greg Weston, a twenty-year-old paralegal
meets a young woman who works with a renowned pediatrician. When she questions
the attractive young man about his blindness, Greg reveals that his adoptive
parents told him he was born blind. After agreeing to see the doctor Gail works
for, Greg becomes aware that his blindness may have occurred as a result of
physician error. Greg requests his medical records from the hospital and the
adoption agency, and he finds that the hospital records tell a different story
about what took place after his birth. In both records, Dr. Harry Chapman is
indicated as the doctor who delivered him. Greg shares his findings with a
partner in his law firm, and they build a case against Dr. Chapman based on
fraudulent changes in the hospital records, which allows the statute of
limitations to be thrown out.
After Harry receives word that he is being sued,
his attorney advises him that the malpractice insurance he carried in 1952 will
not cover even a fraction of the multimillion-dollar lawsuit. The stress and
uncertainty of the case, along with the accusation of fraud, breaks Harry,
leading him down a road of depression and alcohol dependence. As Harry’s wife,
Helen, watches her husband deteriorate, she makes an unthinkable choice to put
an end to the plaintiff’s case.
In THE DISCOVERY, the authors connect the
lives of two individuals across two decades, exposing vulnerabilities,
bitterness, and frailties. As the case moves forward, a key witness’s testimony
alters the lives of both men.
In writing THE DISCOVERY, Goodman and
Kraft’s intentions were to offer readers multidimensional characters with
real-world problems and to bring awareness to the severe affect malpractice
lawsuits can have on physicians’ professional and personal lives.
The
Discovery is available at Amazon.
Book Excerpt:
An hour later Martin pulled into Harry’s driveway and parked next to Sid’s
car. Harry, who rode shotgun, swung the door open and ran to the front door,
where he fumbled with his keys. Sid opened the door and waved him inside.
“You seem like a man in a rush,” Sid said.
“Only to those who peer out of windows!” Harry
pushed past Sid and rushed into the living room. He didn’t see Helen and moved
into the kitchen. No Helen. Harry ran to the family room, but it was empty. He
looked at the bar.
“Thirsty?” Sid said from behind him.
Harry ignored the comment. “Where’s Helen?”
“In your bedroom.”
Harry crossed to the couch in front of the TV set
and slumped into it.
Sid sat next to him. “From a man in a hurry, it
appears that you’ve suddenly run out of gas.”
“Look, pal, I know a hell of a lot more than you
do.”
“Really? You don’t say, Harry. Well, I’ve got news
for you. You don’t know your ass from a hole in the ground!”
Harry glared at Sid, as he formed a fist.
Sid smirked. “Go ahead and swing away.”
“What’s going on here?” Harry said as he relaxed
his hand.
“Don’t ask me; ask your wife.”
Surprised, Harry leaned back on the couch. “What
are you talking about?”
“I sure as hell know!”
“Tell me!”
“Nope. You want to know, you talk to Helen.”
“She won’t talk to me.”
“Maybe she will.”
“Tell me!”
“I promised Helen that I wouldn’t repeat what she
told me. To anyone.”
Harry had no idea what Sid spoke of and glared at
him. “You know, sometimes you are a real pain in the ass.”
“And you’re a complete schmuck. Look Harry, you
had better talk with her.” Harry didn’t move. “Now!”
Allen leaned into the room. “Is everything okay?”
“Yep,” Sid said, “couldn’t be better.”
“Then join us.”
“Soon.” He turned back to Harry. “For the last
time Harry, get upstairs and talk to Helen.”
Harry stood but then glared at Sid.
“Harry, use your heart when you listen to her.”
“What are you talk—?” Suddenly frightened, Harry
ran to the staircase and leaped up the steps two at a time. The door to their
bedroom was closed. Harry opened it and stepped into the room. It was empty,
but then the door to the bathroom opened and Helen appeared. Her hair was wet
and dangled over her shoulders. She had an oversized towel wrapped around her
body.
“What do you want?”
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